Stated: "Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous." And St. Paul utters this impressive warning: "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury" (Eph. v. 18).
3. The Fathers of the Church teach the same thing. They term intemperance the grave of chastity, because it is well-nigh impossible to preserve this delicate virtue in the presence of intemperance, which incites to luxury. For instance, St. Augustine writes: "Drunkenness is the mother of all scandalous actions, the sister of impurity, and the shipwreck of chastity." And in another place he exhorts us thus: "Let us flee from drunkenness, in order that we may not fall into unchastity."
As the flames of a fire by means of oil, so are the sensual desires of men aroused and intensified by excess in alcoholic drinks. Therefore St. Jerome says: "Impurity is inseparable from drunkenness." Who indeed does not know the ribaldry, the vulgar jokes and indecent songs, by means of which young men, when excited by drink, irritate and scandalize others.
4. The unavoidable connection of immorality with drunkenness is constantly confirmed by daily experience. We will give one instance only.
There are in England extensive property owners, whose possessions comprise towns and large villages. Some time ago, a number of them agreed, in order to suppress drunkenness, to close all the drinking saloons existing in their domains.
